Volume V Part 22 (1/2)
[Sidenote: 1471 / JULY 5]
Most worchepfull and my ryght specyall good modyr, as humbylly as I can, I recomand me on to yow, besechyng yow of your blyssyng. Please it yow to undyrstand that thys day I spake with Batcheler Water, whiche let me have undyrstandyng of your welfare, wherof I thank G.o.d with all my hert.
Also he leet me have knowlage that the Lord Scalys had grauntyd yow to be my good lord, wherof I am no thyng prowd, for he may do leest with the gret mastyr; but he wold depert ovyr the see, as hastyly as he may; and because he wenyth that I wold go with hym, as I had promyseyd evyr, and he had kept foorthe hys jornay at that tyme, thys is the cause that he wyll be my good lord and help to get my pardon. The Kyng is not best pleasyd with hym for that he desyerthe to depert, in so myche that the Kyng hathe seyd of hym, that wen evyr he hathe most to do, then the Lord Scalys wyll sonest axe leve to depert, and weenyth that it is most be cause of kowardyese. As for pardon, I can never get, withowght I schold paye to myche money for it, and I am not so purveyd. As for Herry Hallman, my brodyr wyll axe hym no sylver tyll ye be payeyd; therfor ye may send to hym and have it.
Item, I am sory that ye have fadyrd my hors that was at Caster to be my Brodyr Edmundys, for I had leveer that they had hym style then owght ellys; wherfor thow they profyr hym yow from hense foorthe, let not my brodyr Edmund take hym, but let him sey whedyr they wyll let hym have hym or not, that I have promyseyd my brodyr Edmund a bettyr hors for hym, so that he wyll not cleyme the same for hys. As for tydyngs her be non but that the Scottys and Walyshe men be besy; what they meane I can not seye. My cosyn John Loveday can tell yow, and ther be eny odyr flyeyng talys, for he hathe walkyd in London, and so do not I. When I may I wyll come hom with G.o.dys grace, whom I beseche to sende you your hertys desyeyr. Wretyn the v. daye of Julle.
Be yowr humblest sone and servant,
J. P.
[Footnote 106-1: [From Fenn, iv. 116.] From the mention of Lord Scales in this letter it might be supposed that it was written not later than the year 1469, when Anthony Woodville, the last Lord Scales, became Earl Rivers by the death of his father; but I believe the date to be 1471, and that the writer is simply speaking of Earl Rivers by his old t.i.tle. In the first place there is no appearance of either of the John Pastons requiring a royal pardon before the year 1471; secondly, it is not probable that either of them would have spoken so slightingly of the value of Lord Scales's intercession at an earlier period; and thirdly, it seems doubtful whether Edmund Paston could have been old enough to own a war-horse many years before. Finally, we find by Letter 780 following that John Paston, the youngest, succeeded in obtaining a pardon signed by the King on the 17th July 1471. If the reference to the autograph plate in Fenn is correct, this letter was in the hand of his elder brother, Sir John Paston, Knight; but as it is not signed, like most of his letters, 'John Paston, K.,' we are inclined to suspect that it was really written by the younger brother, like No. 780.]
779
ABSTRACT[107-1]
[Sidenote: 1471 / JULY 12]
Norff. and Suff. Deeds, No. 5. 'Relaxatio Johannis Paston militis, Davidi Husband et Will. Gyfford totius juris in maneriis de Saxthorp, Tichwell, Haineford, Ess.e.x in Hickling, etc., Calcote, Leystoft, Habland, Broweston, Gorleston alias Spitlings, quae quondam fuerunt Johannis Fastolf mil., et quae Will. Waynflet episcopus Winton' habuit ex dono Rad. Boteler domini de Sudley, et praedicti David et Willielmus ex dono episc. praedicti, necnon de et in 25 _markes redd._ precipiend. de priori de Hickling. Julii 12, Edw. IV. 11. With a scedule annexed touching the same release.'
[Footnote 107-1: [From MS. Index in Magd. Coll., Oxford.]]
780
JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[107-2]
_To my most worchepfull Modyr, Margaret Paston, be thys delyveryd in hast._
[Sidenote: 1471 / JULY 17]
Ryght worchepfull modyr, I recomand me to yow, and as lowly as I can, I beseche yow of yowr blyssyng. Please yow to undyrstand that thys Wednysday Sir Thomas Wyngffeld sent to me, and let me wet that the Kyng had syngnyd my bylle of perdon, whyche the seid Sir Thomas delyveryd me; and so by Fryday, at the forthest, I tryst to have my perdon ensealyd by the Chanceler, and soone aftyr, so as I can fornyshe me, I tryst to se yow, if so be that eny of the Kynges hows com in to Norwyche. I wold fayne my gray horse wer kept in mewe for gnattys. Also, modyr, I beseche yow that Dollys and his felawe may be sent to, that I may have my money redy ayenst that I come home, whyche is dew to be payid, for thys mater hathe cost me the settyng over. Also that it may please yow that Purdy at Heylysdon maye be sent to for the horse that he hathe of myne, and that the horse may be kept well, and have as myche mete as he wyll eate be twyx thys and that I come home, and that Jakys nage have mete i now also. Also, and Syr Thomas Wyngfeld come to Norwyche, that he may have as good chere as it please yow to make on to that man that I am most behold to for hys gret kyndnesse and good wyll, for he takyth full my part ayenst my gretest enmyeys, Brandons and hys brodyr William; for at my fyrst comyng to Sir Thomas Wyngfeld, bothe William Wyngfeld and William Brandon the yonger wer with Sir Thomas, and had gret wordys to myn owne mowthe, and in cheff W. Wyngfeld; and wher so evyr he may met me on evyn grownd he wyll do myche; but and we met evynly, no fors, so I have yowr blyssyng. I prey yow, with owght it be to my Lady Calthorp, let ther be but fewe woordys of thys perdon. No more, but I prey G.o.d preserve yow and yours.
Wretyn the Wednysday next before Mary Mawdelen,
By your humblest sone,
J. P.
[Footnote 107-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter refers to a pardon granted by the King to John Paston the younger, for having taken part with the Lancastrians at the battle of Barnet. Though the 'bill' for this pardon was signed by the King on the 17th July, the pardon itself did not pa.s.s the Great Seal till the 7th February following, under which date it is enrolled on the Pardon Roll of 11 Edw. IV., memb. 9.]
781
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[109-1]
_To Mestresse Margret Paston, or to John Paston, Esqier, hyr sone, in hast._
[Sidenote: 1471 / SEPT. 15]
Ryght well belovyd brother, I comende me to yow, letyng yow wete that I am in wellffar, I thanke G.o.d, and have ben evyr syns that I spake last with yow; and mervayle for that ye sent never wryghtynge to me syns ye departyd; I herde nevyr synes that tyme any worde out off Norffolk; ye myght aft Bertlemai Feyr[109-2] have had messengers i nowe to London, and iff ye had sent to Wykys, he scholde have conveyed it to me. I herde yisterdaye, that a Worsted man of Norffolk, that solde worstedys[109-3]